AT PUNTA BANDA--John Carlton, Tom Wardrup and Thomas Wardrup Jr. limited on Ensenada yellowtail, calico bass and rockcod while fishing on a Vonny's Fleet panga last week. Photo courtesy Ivan Villarino.

YELLOWTAIL AND BOTTOM FISH CAUGHT IN A RAINY WEEK AT ENSENADA

Jan. 15, 2005, Ivan Villarino, Vonny's Fleet, Punta Banda, Baja California, Mexico Fishing:

On Monday, Ensenada fishing weather in the morning it was cold and cloudy in the 60s, with fog and little rain. The ocean at Punta Banda was starting to get rough. We had a strong west wind, so the fishing was slow inside for our pangas. We were fishing only for sandbass not too many.

On Tuesday, Ensenada rained cats, dogs, cows and chickens. It rained like hell and the water was very rough in Ensenada bay so our pangas didn't go fishing. The air temperature was 57 degrees, and the wind was 14 m.p.h. Rain...rain..rain..rain.

On Wednesday, the morning cleared up, and Lester Ellet and Joe Rodriguez of Whittier showed up about 5:30 a.m. Beto came in and we loaded the Vonny VI and away they went. About 9:45 a.m. Beto called on the cell phone and all I could hear was screams on the boat. Beto said, "Le pegamos a los jureles." That means, "We hit the yellowtails." But it was still a little rough on the water. Fishing at the tip of Ensenada's Punta Banda with Beto, Lester and Joe caught seven yellowtail and limits of calico bass and sandbass. Ensenada fishing weather was 47 to 63 degrees and overcast, with 3 m.p.h. breezes, ocean swells of 2 to 3 feet, and a water temperature at the tip of Punta Banda of 59 degrees.

On Thursday, Ensenada fishing water was still a little rough for fishing but not too much. At 12 noon, Lester and Joe got back from fishing with Beto again, with more yellowtail and bottom fish.

On Friday, we had good sailing. The ocean was like a lake, the sky was clear, very cold but beautiful. Ensenada air temperature was 57 degrees, with breezes of 3 m.p.h., and ocean swells of 2 feet.

On Saturday, the Ensenada sea surface temperature was 59 degrees, with light breezes again, and John Carlton, Tom Wardrup and Thomas Wardrup Jr. from La Quinta went fishing with Beto and caught four yellowtails and limits of rockcods and calico bass on the Vonny VI.